**1. Introduction**

Goats, essentially an Asian animal are distributed in all ecologies and their fibres classified as mohair, pashmina and hair, but mohair and pashmina have the commercial importance. India's indomitable heritage is possession of goats in high altitude Himalayan cold arid region that produce pashmina (cashmere), which is fine, tough, warm and soft. Pashmina can also be defined as the down (undercoat) fibre derived from cashmere goats with a diameter of 30 microns or less. Pashmina has derived its name from the Persian word 'Pashm' meaning, soft gold, the king of fibres [1]. India produces the best pashmina of the world with an annual production of about 40 tons but this is merely <1% of the total world production [2, 3]. In India two pashmina breeds viz., Chegu and Changthangi are recognized. Changthangi goat is reared in Changthang and adjoining areas of Leh in an area of 20,000 sq. km at 3000–6000 m above MSL (−40 to +40°C) under extensive system. Pashmina is the economic mainstay of the people of Changthang, as almost 55% of the income is generated by this fibre [4]. With the increase in demand of raw pashmina the cost of this fibre is highest in the international market (90–180 Eu/kg in 2004) [5]. The present per annum production of pashmina from Ladakh is about 35,000 kg which is harvested from about 0.15 million Changthangi goats [6, 7].

**100**

*Goats (Capra) - From Ancient to Modern*

[1] Fibers2fashin. The true cost of Cashmere: Sustainability inspires woolen fabrics [Internet]. 2019. Available from: https://www. fibre2fashion.com/industry-

**References**

[Accessed: 23 January 2019]

[2] Cashmere - Brief overview of production areas and quality [Internet]. 2014. Available from: http://www.aplf.com/en-us/ leather-fashion-news-and-blog/ news/20565/cashmere-brief-overviewof-production-areas-and-quality [Accessed: 23 January 2019]

article/5004/the-true-cost-of-cashmeresustainability-inspires-woolen-fabrics

animal fibers conference. University of

[9] McGregor BA, Schlink A. Feltability of cashmere and other rare animal fibres and the effects of nutrition and blending with wool on cashmere feltability. Journal of the Textile Institute. 2014;**105**(9):927-937. DOI: 10.1080/00405000.2013.865863

[10] Ansari-Renani HR, Rischkowsky B, Mueller J. Cashmere of Nomadic Raeini Goat: Assessment of Quality, Comparative Advantage, Development Options for Industry. Animal Science

Research Institute, Iran

lrrd16/6/rafa16036.htm

University of Tabriz; 2009

Meeting. Poster; 2003

Hong Kong; 2014

[15] Rafat SA. Iranian Cashmere

pone.0001012

[11] Naderi S et al. Large-scale mitochondrial DNA analysis of the domestic goat reveals six haplogroups with high diversity. PLoS One. 2007;**2**:e1012. DOI: 10.1371/journal.

[12] Rafat SA, Shodja J. The effects of feeding levels on characteristics of fibers of Raeini Cashmere goats. Livestock Research for Rural Development. 2004:**16**(6). Available from: http://www.cipav.org.co/lrrd/

[13] Rafat SA. Factors affecting export prices of Iranian cashmere. In: Iranian Animal Fibres Conference. Tabriz, Iran:

[14] Rafat SA, Shodja J, Karimi H. The effects of nutrition and age on

characteristics of fibers raeini cashmere goat. In: British Society Animal Science

Characteristics Affected by Genetic and Non- genetic Factors. Cashmere World:

[16] Rafat SA. Study of Cashmere Fiber Characteristics by Image Analysis System. Cashmere World: Hong Kong; 2014

Tabriz; 2009

[3] Ansari-Renani HR, Rischkowsky B, Mueller JP, Moradi S. Cashmere in Iran. Karaj, Iran: Animal Sciences Research

[4] Facts and Stats. Available from: https://www.goatindustrycouncil.com. au/goats-in-australia/goat-facts-andstats/ [Accessed: 17 October 2019]

[5] Franck RR. Silk, Mohair, Cashmere and Other Luxury Fibres. Woodhead Publishing Limited in Association with The Textile Institute; 2001. pp. 136-137

[6] Ansari HR et al. Determination of hair follicle characteristics, density and activity of Iranian cashmere goat breeds. Small Ruminant Research. 2011;**95**(2-3):128-132. DOI: 10.1016/j.

smallrumres.2010.09.013

[7] Shamsaddini M, Salehi MR, Ahsani M, Moemen S. The seasonal effect on cashmere fiber quality of Raieni goats. In: First Iranian Animal Fibers Conference. Tabriz, Iran: University of Tabriz; 2009

[8] Moumen SE, Ebrahimi M, Salehi MT. Tokasi 2009 A study on follicular development in raeini cashmere goat kids. In: First Iranian

Institute; 2013

Pashmina is a precious animal fibre for its warmth, firmness, lightness and softness apart from to dye absorbing property in comparison to mohair or wool. Pashmina is a valuable fibre for quality designer apparels. Guinness Book of World Records has accredited it with the reputation of being costliest cloth in the world after ban imposed on natural fibre Shahtoosh (called as King of fibre) produced from small Tibetan Antelope known as *Chiru*. Fifty tonnes of pashmina was produced in India during 2005–2006, 80% of which was obtained from *Changthangi* breed. Fibre obtained from goats with <19 μm of diameter is termed as cashmere however, the Changthangi fibre has average diameter of 10–14 μm, making it the best. Pashmina shawls which are brilliantly dyed are prepared from *Changthangi goats* are a fashion sensation with essential elements of style and comfort throughout the world [8].

Besides *Changthangi goats*, *Changluk* sheep (used for meat purpose) is an essential part of pashmina goat based trans-humance delivery system. It serves as alternative source of income for sustenance of *Changpa* when the production system fails. The Changpas rearing the pashmina goats in the Changthang region have a significant contribution to the economy of Ladakh (cold arid region, which accounts for 107,545 km2 of the total 387,390 km2 zone in the country). Rest of the region is a hot arid Indo-Gangetic plain and peninsular India [9]. Nomads encounter a myriad of problems, like, poor living standards, fodder shortage, no market accessibility and involvement of huge investments. These hindrances render nomads to generate very much lesser returns than its potential.
